Varsha Priyadarshini (born August 7, 1984, in Cuttack, Odisha) is a prominent Indian actress and politician who has predominantly worked in the Odia and Bengali film industries. She began her professional journey as a fashion model before making her transition into acting at the age of seventeen, quickly establishing herself as a leading and recognizable figure in regional cinema. Throughout her extensive acting career, Priyadarshini has delivered numerous commercially successful performances across different languages. She made a significant mark in Ollywood with early 2000s films like Baazi and Sabata Maa, eventually starring in major box office hits such as Balunga Toka, Something Something, Matric Fail, and Gapa Hele Bi Sata. Expanding her acting repertoire, she also ventured successfully into Bengali cinema, featuring in well known movies like Jor, Golmaal, Love Story, and Hanshi Khushi Club. In her personal life, Priyadarshini married fellow Ollywood actor and Member of Parliament Anubhav Mohanty in February 2014. Their marriage later faced highly publicized challenges and complex legal disputes that drew significant media attention. Following a lengthy legal process involving petitions from both sides, the Orissa High Court formally granted a decree of divorce to Mohanty in December 2023, legally dissolving the marriage. Beyond her work in the entertainment industry, Priyadarshini has actively pursued a career in public service. Transitioning into politics, she officially joined the Biju Janata Dal in April 2024. Shortly after joining the party, she stepped into the electoral arena by contesting the 2024 Odisha Legislative Assembly elections to represent the Barchana constituency, though she ultimately lost the seat.
